Paper craft project no. 321: Merry Christmas watercolor card

Merry Christmas, everyone! Popping by here to share a Christmas card I made earlier this week. Well, I'll be making more -- and real early this time around -- because I've got a new card-making challenge blog starting on January 6 and I'm excited to have 7 amazing cardmakers joining me twice a month in creating one layer Christmas cards. I hope you can come check it out, follow the blog, and play with us in January. We promise it will be fun and it'll be a great way to get a head start on next year's Christmas cards :o)

Anyway, you'll find this card over at Time Out because it serves as reminder for our Inspired by Words challenge: "Christmas is Love with All the Trimmings." We'd love it if you could join us. Take a little time out to craft your heart out ;o) 

I stamped the poinsettia in brown archival ink on watercolor paper. I used my Japanese watercolor brush pens to color the poinsettia and the background. I layered the colors, starting from lightest to darkest. Then I stamped the Christmas word block in brown ink and partially stamped them on the panel to get a grunge, vintage, textured look. I trimmed the panel to size, stamped the sentiment in black ink, and then ran my brown watercolor brush pen along the sides to create a distressed frame. I mounted the panel onto my card base, used a black gel pen to trace over the poinsettia, and added stickles for a little shine. And the card's done. This one I made for my in-laws and it's right under the tree along with our presents for them.

Our Christmas tree this year. DH and I finished decorating it this afternoon. Our living room's a bit crowded right now, and to make it easy on the in-laws, we decided to put the tree up on the low table -- easier to see and get to the presents that way without bending over too much. I went a little crazy on the Christmas lights! But hey, it's going to be for two days only so, what the hey...it was DH's idea in the first place anyway ;o)

Linking up my card to these fun challenges:

1. Cards und More #123 - All About Christmas
2. Deep Ocean Challenge #93 - Christmas is all around
3. Holly Jolly Christmas - Anything Goes Christmas
4. Just Inspirational Challenge - Christmas
5. Card Mania #62 - Christmas
6. Dream Valley Challenge #97 - Christmas
7. Monday Morning Challenge #1 - Anything Christmas or Winter
8. Ooh La La Creations #170 - Christmas
9. Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful time this Christmas with your loved ones!

~Shery

Supplies: Stamps - Holiday Sketches: Christmas Flower, Holiday Sketches: Christmas Candles, Sentiment Builders: Christmas & New Year, and Vignette: Christmas Block from STAMPlorations; Inks/Paints - Jet Black and Coffee Archival inks from from Ranger, Akashiya Sai Japanese watercolor brush pens; Paper - 140# cold-press watercolor paper from Canson and 100# classic white premium heavy weight cardstock from Paper and More